On My Own
by Dork Asian
Summary: Leo was convinced the Fates hated him. He supposed to return to Camp Half-Blood to be reunited with his friends. Things were supposed to be semi-normal again. But no, that wasn't the case. Calypso turned out to be a backstabbing liar. Ogygia was a dimension where time literally stopped. Camp Half-Blood had changed. And, the most important of all, his friends were gone.
1. Chapter 1: Leo

_**On My Own**_

 **A "The Dimension Walker" Short Story**

 **Summary** : _**Leo was convinced the Fates hated him. He and Calypso were supposed to return to Camp Half-Blood. He was supposed to be reunited with his friends. Things were supposed to be semi-normal again. But no, that wasn't the case. Calypso turned out to be a backstabbing liar. Ogygia was a dimension where time literally stopped. Camp Half-Blood had changed. And, the most important of all, his friends were gone.**_

 **Disclaimer** : **I do not own Leo Valdez. He belongs to Uncle Rick. Also, some OC's do not belong to me, but belong to my friend Cara, aka** _ **Carabootoo**_ **.**

 **A/N** **: Another side/backstory for my " The Dimension Walker" series. Starring Leo Valdez and my take on what happens to him after getting Calypso!**

 **Takes place one year after BoO and during "The Dimension Walker: The Pearl of Chaos".**

 **/Line|Break\**

 **~Chapter One~**

 **~Leo~**

 **/Line|Break\**

Leo didn't know how long they've been flying for. All through the flight, he saw nothing but clouds and bright skies. Days could have passed, or months. Heck, it could've been years! Calypso said time was different in Ogygia. Maybe time was really fast there, or maybe it wasn't. Gods know how long Leo had been gone. He was almost relieved when they finally saw tall trees and clear blue skies. Down below them, there was a small town. Leo quickly guided them to someplace where no one could see them. Can't have someone looking up and getting distracted by the flying bronze dragon that was carrying two teenagers. But then again, the mist would mask the magical. What would the mortals see? A really giant bird carrying them?

"Leo, where are we?" Calypso asked. "Is this the New York you were telling me about?"

"Nope," Leo answered. "New York is a lot bigger, has bigger buildings, and not surrounded by trees." He looked around and clicked his tongue. "The weather reminds me of California, to be honest. Hey! Maybe we're close to Camp Jupiter. The war's over and I could introduce you to Hazel and Frank."

"Leo, I told you that—"

"—Time is different in Ogygia and gods know how long we've been gone. Sunshine, you gotta stay positive! Maybe it's only been a couple of months or a year."

"Leo..."

"Trust me! I know what I'm doing."

"No, Leo." Calypso grabbed his arm. "I feel like this is not where we should be. I just...know it."

If the situation were different, Leo would be blushing and dismissing Calypso. But, seeing the look in Calypso's dark eyes, he knew she was dead serious.

Fetus landed in the middle of an empty football field, right behind a large, aqua-blue building. A loud, ringing sound echoed and Leo could see movement from behind the windows. It was a school; a high school to be more exact. Leo quickly got off Fetus and started walking towards the school.

"Leo!" Calypso called, running after him. "What in the name of the gods do you think you're doing?"

"It's probably lunch time," Leo told her. "Maybe, if I act like a newbie student, I can find out where we are and if we're close to where Camp Jupiter is."

"How are you so sure the students won't be suspicious of you?"

"Calypso, my dear, this is high school. There are cliques and groups, one of them being the newbie students."

Calypso sighed in defeat. "I hope you're right..."

They entered the school to find everyone headed towards the cafeteria. Leo and Calypso ended up following the crowd, walking behind three girls. They were talking excitedly, while linking their arms together. At first, Leo thought they were the popular girls of the school. But then, he eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I can't bloody wait for summer to start," said one British girl with honey-blonde hair and light blue eyes. "Blimey! Think of all the nothing we could do!"

"My mom and dad says we might take a trip to Greece in July," said a brunette girl with amber highlights and owlish brown eyes. "I can't wait! I can go to all the places that were mentioned in the HoO books!"

"I just want to spend my summer reading, watching TV, and relaxing," said a pale girl with dark brown hair and dark eyes. "I...also want to spend some time in the cemetery. Gotta keep my resolution, ya know."

"Avril..." said the owl-eyed girl.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me," the pale girl, Avril, quickly dismissed.

"If you're sure..."

"I _am_ ," Avril snapped, causing Leo to flinch.

Somehow, this girl reminded him of Nico di Angelo. She had the same dark hair and eyes and pale skin. She even had a skull ring like his, and made him nervous like Nico. This Avril girl could be Nico's female alternate version, hands down. All she needed was the creepy Hades powers, aviator jacket, and black sword to pull it off. The more Leo thought about it, the more he thought this girl could possibly be a daughter of Hades or Pluto. But if she was, why wasn't she discovered yet? Wasn't there supposed to be a satyr to get her, or she had to go to some wolves?

Calypso nudged his arm. "Leo, you're staring."

Leo glanced over at her. "Sorry...I was thinking."

"Oh no."

"Naw...it's not anything bad. Just...this girl seems to be like Hazel's brother, Nico di Angelo. I'm thinking she's a demigod."

Calypso looked at Avril, and her eyes widen. "Leo..."

"Wait, can you sense if someone is a demigod?"

The golden brown-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Yes, I _am_ a daughter of a Titan. Titans and gods can senses heroes. But this girl...her aura is different. Demigod-like, but more powerful."

Leo frowned, and looked back at the girl. She was glancing back at them. Their eyes met, and a chill went down Leo's spine. Avril blinked, and quickly looked away.

They soon entered the cafeteria, where loud music was booming out of the intercom and kids were wandering around. Banners hung on the walls and ceiling, saying stuff like "HAPPY END OF SCHOOL YEAR" and "HAVE A GOOD SUMMER, SIERRA RIVERA HUNTERS". All around, students were chatting, signing yearbooks, and some even flirting and/or making out. Leo almost wished he went to a school like this, where students were allowed to party at the end of the year.

Calypso gripped his arm, nodding her head towards the girls they were following. They were walking over to the less crowded areas of the cafeteria, where the non-populars were hanging out. Leo quickly guided her over there, sitting down at a table. One of the nerds—a kid with large glasses and a sweater vest—looked up and gasped. He stared at Calypso, wide eyed.

"You look like a modern Greek goddess," he blurted out, then proceeded to blush furiously.

Calypso chuckled. "Thank you."

Leo was almost tempted to say he was right. Instead he said, "That's my girl you're talking to." Calypso elbowed him in the side, giving him a look.

"S-Sorry, man," the nerd said. "But your girlfriend _is_ gorgeous. She's as beautiful as Aphrodite, or even more beautiful. How did you get her?"

He and Calypso shared a look. "Let's just say I kinda saved her life," the Latino laughed.

"Awesome," the nerd said. "Hey, I never seen you around school before. What's your names?"

Leo smirked. "Leo Valdez, at your service. Bad Boy Supreme and a supersized McShizzle."

"Just call me Calypso," Calypso said with a smile.

"Even your name is beautiful," the nerd sighed. "The name's Jason, Jason McGee. Most people at school call me McGee, though."

Leo's mood instantly dampened. Hearing the nerd's name made him remember. His best friend, Jason Grace, probably thought he was dead and gone for good. Piper and the others probably thought the same thing too. The thought almost made him regret his choice. But then, he remember someone from the Seven had to die. And plus, he had to find a way to get Calypso. She was the first girl to not rejected him and to love him the way he loved her.

Calypso must've seen his face. She smiled at McGee and said, "Well McGee, my...father is thinking of moving out of the town over the summer. But, he refuses to tell me where. I think we are probably moving to a bigger city. Are there any big city near here?"

Leo let out a quiet sigh. Thanks the gods for Calypso, he thought.

"Well..." McGee tapped his chin. "Hayward is close to the north. So, the nearest big city is either San Francisco or Sacramento. But then again, your folks might want to move somewhere far so they could probably head south and go to LA or San Diego."

"Thank you," Calypso said.

McGee grinned. "Hey, anything for a pretty girl that hasn't made fun of me or tried to insult me. Not really a big shocker, but some of the girls at this school can be jerks. Except for Ally Σοφία...now _there's_ a Greek beauty with manners and kindness..."

McGee looked over at the table where the three girls Leo had eavesdropped. He was smiling dreamily and staring at the owl-eyed girl. Leo snorted, and quickly guided Calypso out of the cafeteria. They walked through the halls before stopping at a locker. Leo leaned against it, biting his lip in thought. Calypso tilted her head, looking around the hall.

"So...this is what modern school is like?" she asked. "Teens ridiculing each other and there only being a few good ones?"

"Pretty much," Leo shrugged. "Back in Wilderness School, there was a girl named Isabel who always made fun of my friend Piper for being a Native American."

Calypso frowned. "That is not very nice."

The Latino rolled his eyes and snorted. "You don't know the half of it." Leo soon started to walk. "Come on, let's get going. The faster we get to Camp Jupiter, the better. I really want to know what happened while I was gone."

"Well, at least no monsters has attacked us yet," Calypso said.

Leo smiled. "Now that's thinking positive, Sunshine!"

When they arrived back to the football field, they were suddenly grabbed by the arms and thrown to the ground. Leo landed on his butt, and Calypso fell to her side.

" _¿Qué mierda, hombre?_ " Leo exclaimed. [ _Translation: What the fuck, man?_ ]

" _Παρακολουθήστε τα λόγια σας, το ήμισυ του αίματος!_ " a voice barked. [ _Translation: Watch your words, half blood!_ ]

Leo stared up at the figures, and nearly yelped in surprise. There were three figures, two females and one male. They had light grey skin, and wispy hair black as coal. The females wore misty, light blue dresses, and the male wore a misty, black toga. Their eyes were solid bronze, and held a cold gaze. The females floated over to Calypso and helped her up.

" _Lady Melantha thanks you, daughter of Atlas_ ," they rasped, smiling coldly. " _Your wish shall be granted. No more pain, and no more gods. You shall live a free, painless life here._ "

"W-What?" Leo asked, looking up at Calypso. "Calypso...?"

With a hard look in her dark eyes, she turned away. "I...never loved you, Leo. It was Ogygia's influence. The island made me fall for heroes. It wasn't my choice." She smiled sadly. "I'm flattered you went through so much so you could free me, Leo Valdez. You're a good person with a heart of gold, and I admire that. I...only wish that we could stay friends. But, my savior says that if I must have what I desire, I must forget."

Leo blinked slowly. "I...don't understand."

Calypso sneered, her eyes harden again. "The gods have caused me too much pain, kept me prisoner for too long. I...hoped Percy would have saved me. But, those damn gods did not fulfill his wish. I was miserable, and I wanted vengeance. But, I knew it would be useless. I was not very powerful and I was trapped on my island. There was nothing I could do." Her expression soon grew soft, and a sad light filled her eyes. "Then, she came to me in my dreams. My savior told me I could have my freedom if I followed her. She was the one to cause the second Titan War, for she too wanted revenge on Zeus. But, of course, that plan failed.

"Then, she remembered that her sister, Gaea, was still slumbering and her children, the Giants, were waiting to have their vengeance on Olympus. My savior devised a plan, and came to me. She...told me a son of Hephaestus would come to my island during the Giant War. I had to...gain his trust so I could escape."

"She knew I was going to go to Ogygia?" Leo asked. "How?"

"She's a goddess, Leo!" Calypso exclaimed. "A daughter of the Primordials! The Primordials know many things, some can even see into the future. She knew you would come. My savior said if I gained your trust and got you to fall for me, I could get my wish. But...there was a catch."

A catch, Leo thought. Of course there would be a catch. "What's the catch?"

Calypso looked at the figures. "I had to deliver you to the Shadow People, my savior's loyal minions."

Leo threw his hands up in the air. "Who the hell is your savior? And what does she want with me? I'm not powerful like Jason or Percy! I'm not a genius like Annabeth, or can charmspeak like Piper! I can't control the Mist like Hazel, or turn into animals like Frank! Hell, I'm just a repair man with fire powers!"

The Shadow Man grinned. " _Our mistress, Lady Melantha, takes in the Fallen Ones. She gives them power, gives them strength. Lady Melantha can give you want you desire, so long as you stay loyal to her. You are a Fallen One, Leo Valdez. You have the potential to be great, and our mistress sees that._ "

" _She can be the mother you lost_ ," the Shadow Women hissed. " _She can be the friend that will not treat you like a seventh wheel. She can be the goddess that can and will help you in any way she can. She can give you everything you want and lost. Lady Melantha can be your savior._ "

Leo quickly got to his feet, and pulled out a large hammer from his tool belt. "That sounds very tempting and all, but I have to say no." He looked over at Calypso. "Of all the people to betray me, it just had to be you."

Calypso hung her head. "I'm sorry, Leo. I _do_ care about you, remember that."

" _Get him!_ " the Shadow Man roared.

Leo quickly ran towards Fetus, who was rearing to go. The Shadow Women let out a screeh, and flew after him. The Latino jumped onto the bronze dragon, and started cursing in rapid fire Spanish. Just before the Shadow Women could get to him, Fetus took to the skies and flew off. The last thing he saw was Calypso staring sullenly at him, her teary eyes filled with guilt and regret.

...

 **Gods I hope there wasn't any OOC-ness...**

 **Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Please leave a review and tell me what you think!**

 **Don't be shy!**

 **I'll see you next time with another chapter. ;)**

 **~Ari**


	2. Chapter 2: Leo

_**On My Own**_

 **A "The Dimension Walker" Short Story**

 **Summary** : _**Leo was convinced the Fates hated him. He and Calypso were supposed to return to Camp Half-Blood. He was supposed to be reunited with his friends. Things were supposed to be semi-normal again. But no, that wasn't the case. Calypso turned out to be a backstabbing liar. Ogygia was a dimension where time literally stopped. Camp Half-Blood had changed. And, the most important of all, his friends were gone.**_

 **Disclaimer** : **I do not own Leo Valdez. He belongs to Uncle Rick. Also, some OC's do not belong to me, but belong to my friend Cara, aka** _ **Carabootoo**_ **. Also, if there are any mistakes I apologized. I tried my best to fix them all.**

 **/Line|Break\**

 **~Chapter Two~**

 **~Leo~**

 **/Line|Break\**

Before the dream starring Dirt Face herself, Leo's day was just getting crappier and crappier.

The Shadow People—which he dubbed them "SP's"—have been relentlessly chasing him for hours. Leo was pretty sure they crossed almost all the states in the west and mid-west. He couldn't hold them off with fire or with Festus. Every time he threw a fireball at them, their bodies would absorb the fire and their eyes would glow with a creepy green light. And when Festus tried to fight them off, they would phase into him and mess with it. Thanks to that, Festus kept breaking down. He had to steal supplies countless of times, trying his best to fix his bronze dragon. His magical tool belt could only do so much. Also thanks to all the detours and repairs, Leo had given up trying to get to Camp Jupiter. If he was going to get those fricking SP's off his tail, his best chances were going to Camp Half-Blood and getting some help there. Maybe the Hecate kids have a magic trick or two up their sleeves.

But, the SP's and fixing Festus were the least of his problems. Each town he went to, some kid or teen would see him and they would freeze up and gape at him. In Colorado, a teenage boy saw him stealing some dude's McDonald's. The dude literally spat out his Red Bull and started telling his girlfriend what he saw. His girlfriend started freaking out, too. When he was in Nebraska, he was at a hardware finding some oil when a random—and pretty—girl screamed and pointed at him. She caused a scene, and she scared the crap out of Leo. He didn't know why or how people knew who he was. Maybe they were campers that heard about him, or something. Leo just didn't know.

Now, here he was, stuck trying to repair Festus after the SP's tried clawing at his wings in some warehouse in Michigan. It was cold, damp, and smelly. Leo didn't have enough supplies to fix Festus's wings properly. He was stuck sleeping on the ground, with no food or water.

"Guess it's just you and me, eh Festus?" Leo said, looking over at the bronze dragon. "I've got no idea what happened, no idea how long I've been gone, and the girl I fell in love with turned out to be a liar." He glanced back up at the sky. "Add that to the list of crappy days..."

Festus made a creaking sound. Leo shook his head, and sat up.

"Maybe things will make more sense once we get to New York," the Latino muttered. "I just gotta stay positive, gotta be optimistic. Hey, maybe once we get there, things will be normal again. Well... _kinda_ normal." He chuckled. "We'll all have a big ol' sappy reunion, with waterworks and everything. Piper will probably smack me and say I was such an idiot for going through my plan." Then, he paused. "No wait...I'm pretty sure everyone would be hitting me for being an idiot. But, I'm pretty sure it'll be mostly Piper. Maybe Jason will give me a good smack or two."

The bronze dragon turned its head and rested it on the ground. Leo sighed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He turned to Festus, and placed his hand on the dragon's forehead. Taking in a deep breath, Leo laid back down. He stared up, looking through the large gaping hole in the ceiling. The dark sky hung overhead, with twinkling stars dotting the sky. The thin, crescent moon gave off an ivory glow, which Leo hoped that meant Artemis was in a good mood. Air planes flew through the air, their lights blinking just like the stars. The Latino let out a sigh, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Of all the things the Fates could do to me," Leo muttered. "They chose to make the one girl I loved a liar. They chose to make her in league with some _chica_ named 'Melantha'. They made these _fricking_ SP's chase after me like I'm some kind of prey." He laughed, bitterly. "Rejection and crappy luck...guess I'm _totally_ used to it now..."

As he stared off, Leo started to realize a lot of things. Yes, his plan worked and he helped defeated Gaea. Yes, he used the physician's cure to come back. And yes, he managed to save Calypso. But, at what cost? Calypso turned out to be a liar, only using Leo to gain her freedom from her "savior". She let those freaky SP's hunt him down to bring him to their "mistress". Calypso never loved him. How could she, anyways? He was just some stupid, naive son of Hephaestus with fire powers. He would run from his problems, hiding his pain with jokes and fixing stuff. Leo was the odd one out, the seventh wheel. He wasn't like the other heroes she fell for. He wasn't a genius like Odysseus. He was a powerful, loyal dude like Percy. He was a scrawny, idiot repair boy. He had no chance with every girl he has ever flirted with. Why would he think he had a chance with Calypso?

And what about his friends? Even if he _did_ return, they would hate him. He never once thought of them as he went to save Calypso. He never once thought of trying to contact them when he arrived at Calypso island, or when they were at that high school. He never thought about how would they react to his death, then promptly finding out he was resurrected to go save this beautiful girl who he thought loved him. Leo was so focused on finding Calypso, so focused on the thought that when he returned to Camp Half-Blood that everything was going to alright, that he didn't realize the pain and guilt his friends would feel. He knew what it felt like to mourn and blame yourself for someone's death. Leo never wanted to let his friends feel the pain he went through, and yet he did.

He could already see their reactions if he returned to camp. Hazel would be crying, never one making eye contact with him. Frank would be frowning with this heartbroken expression on his face, holding Hazel close as she cried. Annabeth and Percy would—even though he didn't know them that well—probably be disappointed and angered at him. Annabeth would be glaring at him, shaking her head. Percy would just be like " _Dude, what the actual Hades?_ ". But, the worst reaction would be from Piper and Jason. His two best friends, the one he had been through so much with him, would be livid and would never forgive him. Piper, with tears in her eyes, would yell at him and smack him. Jason would have this calm, but fierce look on his face. And, Leo could almost hear what he would say.

 _"Did you really even wanted to come back?"_

He would lose his friends, all because of his stupid idea.

Maybe he should've said yes and joined this "Melantha". By the way those SP's talked about her, she sounded like a kind and helpful person. This Melantha went through so much trouble to help Calypso, all because she understood her pain. Melantha probably helped a lot of people, since the SP's talked about these guys called the "Fallen Ones". The Fallen Ones were probably the people who had gotten help from Melantha and were just like him: people who were broken and rejected and made stupid choices.

 _But she's probably a baddie like Dirt Face_ , a voice in the back of his mind warned him. _What if she's gonna use you, Valdez?_

So fricking what? Leo had nothing to lose. The dark side sounded more appealing than the good side right now. He could forget about all his troubles and finally be with people who understood him. He wouldn't be the odd one out anymore, he wouldn't be a seventh wheel. He could have a place where he could belong, where he knew he was wanted. Leo could have a family, friends, and live a new life. Maybe there was still a chance to join in.

Leo shook his head and stared sullenly up at the moon, a million emotions passing through his eyes. Usually, Leo would laugh it off and crack some jokes. But, right now, Leo was so somber and melancholy that it scared him. He couldn't find a reason to laugh it off or crack a joke. For the first time, Leo _didn't_ want to fight off the sadness. He _didn't_ want to move on. Leo Valdez wanted to deal with the pain.

With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and slipped into a dream.

 **/~Ω** **~\**

He was standing at top of the Empire State Building, looking over the New York skyline. The sky was dark grey, making it hard for Leo to determine if it was night or day. Thunder echoed through the air, and Leo nearly yelped when a loud crack of thunder boomed. Lightning lit up the sky, and large raindrops started falling down. Above his head, Olympus could plainly be seen. The thundering (no pun intended) voices of the gods seemed to rival the thunderstorm.

Leo looked around, confused. "What the...?"

"Took you long enough," a voice scoffed.

Leo turned around, and a woman stood behind him. She looked about twenty or so years old, with curly black hair and a scowl on her face. Her skin was dark, dirt brown and her eyes were startling green with swirls of black. The woman wore a green blouse with a matching flowing skirt and a brown shawl wrapped around her head and shoulders. Her hands were on her hips, and her eyes were slightly narrowed. She was glaring at Leo as if he did something to tick her off, which wasn't very reassuring.

At first, Leo didn't recognized the lady at all. She looked like some regular woman he would see walking on the streets. But then, he looked deeply into her eyes and saw the entire Giant War flash through his eyes.

Leo narrowed his eyes at the woman. "Dirt Face!"

The earth goddess scoffed. "Yes, it is I. Gaea, primordial goddess of the earth. Or perhaps you prefer my Roman counterpart, Terra? She is much more peaceful and kinder than I. But then again, when I am in this realm I am both of them. So, perhaps call me Gaea Terra instead."

"Dirt Face suits you," Leo said with a roll of his eyes. "Now, how did you survive that explosion? That should've scattered your essence for good!"

The goddess snorted. "Leo Valdez, do you know what I am?"

"A messed up goddess that's all kinds of crazy and evil?" he deadpanned.

"I am a Protogenos, a primordial," Gaea Terra stated proudly. "Yes, you may have weakened me, but I am one of the most important primordial that cannot have her essence scattered for good. My family and I are essentially the universe itself, as well as the pillars of life. We keep the universe at balance and peace. Without me, the earth itself would crumble and turned back to its former self, which is matter from the Void. My mother revived me a few months after your 'victory'."

She paused, grimacing and crossing her arms over her chest. "After I was revived, she...erm... _punished_ me for trying to take over the world. Forced to help her with her duties while also having a block on my powers; the exact same punishment as my stupid husband! Stupid Mother. Always saying, ' _Be like your siblings and cousins! They don't try to rule the world! They make sure it is safe and sound. I should've know that Uranus would corrupt you, that no good airhead. Why did I let you marry that insufferable fool?_ ' Ugh...she can so unfair..."

The Latino blinked, the corners of his lips tilting up. He let out a snort and burst into laughter, holding his stomach and doubling over. "Oh gods, your _mommy_ grounded you. I didn't know high and mighty goddesses like you could be grounded!"

Gaea Terra narrowed her eyes and growled. "Oh, hush up! I came here to warn you that you are far from home."

"No duh." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Why ja think I'm heading for New York?"

"Do you not get it, Leo Valdez? Have you not been curious why you have been feeling this way? Wondering if Calypso never had fallen in love with you, why had the raft appeared for you?"

Leo quickly shut up, furrowing his brows. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Dirt Face was right. The raft only appears for those who Calypso fell in love with. If Calypso didn't fall in love with him, why did the raft even appear? Was it possible that Calypso _did_ love him but her so-called "savior" made her think she never loved him? That could explain a lot of things. Calypso really did fall in love with him, and her so-called "savior" made her think she didn't.

"Actually," Dirt Face spoke up, "Calypso never really fell for you. She was cursed to fall for the stereotypical hero. Strong, powerful, brave, almost perfect, et cetera. You are not the stereotypical hero, Leo Valdez. Calypso really did made a deal with her savior, and her savior orchestrated everything. Especially your time in Ogygia. She made the raft appear, since the gods were too busy dealing with their split personality dilemma."

Leo leaned against the railing, staring down at the ground in shock. "Wow...just... _wow_..."

Gaea Terra's face soften. "Leo, there are many things you will learn that not many demigods have learned, nor have most of the Olympians. Only Protogenoi like myself and other gods know the truth." The earth goddess pointed up at Olympus. "Another war is approaching, and the Olympians are convinced that someone among them knows who the threat is."

"And let me guess," Leo said, halfheartedly. "Calypso's so-called 'savior' is the threat?"

She nodded. "Yes." Gaea Terra looked away, staring up at Olympus. "The Underworld is in chaos, and many restless spirits are vanishing. Tartarus itself is stirring, with monsters going on rampage and the most ancient of monsters are rising. Nyx, Erebos, and Tartarus—the god, not the pit—are trying their best to control all the monsters. Even Olympus itself is becoming unstable. Minor gods and goddesses have been falling ill or going into a deep slumber. The Olympians themselves have heard strange voices whispering in their ears and seeing visions of darkness and death."

"Well, I need to get back home to help!"

The goddess raised her hand. "Leo Valdez, you are needed somewhere else. You are one of the most powerful demigods from the Seven. You may not be at the power level as Perseus Jackson or Jason Grace, but you are at a level all on your own. You may be the seventh wheel, but you're just as important."

Leo looked down his hands. "A level all on my own, eh? Hm...I like that sound of that!"

The goddess rolled her eyes snapped her fingers. A scroll appeared in Leo's hands, along with a pendant. The pendant was a fire opal flame inside a onyx circle, hanging on a bronze chain. The flame glowed softly, just like an actual fire in a hearth. Gaea Terra walked up to him with a sour pout on her face, and placed the pendant around his neck.

"This map shall help you on your journey. The pendant is a good luck charm, but also a way of telling others that you are under my protection."

"And why—?"

"Because Mother says if I want to redeem myself, I must help a hero on a quest." She scoffed. "I will _not_ call you my champion, however."

"Trust me," Leo said, dryly. "I wouldn't want to go around announcing that I'm the champion of Queen Dirt Face herself."

Gaea Terra smiled slightly. "You must wake up now. You're about to be mugged by a boy."

"Wait, what?"

The goddess waved her hand, and the whole scene became fuzzy. Leo fell back, and his vision went black.

 **...**

 **Guess who had a writer's block halfway through this and ended up rewriting the entire chapter? Guess who also took forever fixing up the chapter so that it's presentable? *hangs head* This always happens to fics that I'm really passionate about.**

 **Also! *shakes fist at the sky* For gods' sake, wHY IS LEO'S POV SO HARD FOR ME TO WRITE? HE'S MY FAV CHARACTER. WHY IS HE HARD FOR ME TO WRITE? WHY THE FUCK DOES HE SEEM OOC WHEN I WRITE IN HIS POV TO ME? UGH...**

 **But anyways, I hope you liked this chapter! I tried to make it kinda angst-y, but I'm pretty sure I failed. :/**

 **Thank you for all the reviews! :) I really do appreciate you guys for voicing out your opinions!**

 **Don't forget to leave a review and I'll see ya next time!**

 **~Ari**


	3. Chapter 3: Thomas

_**On My Own**_

 **A "The Dimension Walker" Short Story**

 **Summary** : _**Leo was convinced the Fates hated him. He and Calypso were supposed to return to Camp Half-Blood. He was supposed to be reunited with his friends. Things were supposed to be semi-normal again. But no, that wasn't the case. Calypso turned out to be a backstabbing liar. Ogygia was a dimension where time literally stopped. Camp Half-Blood had changed. And, the most important of all, his friends were gone.**_

 **Disclaimer** : **I do not own Leo Valdez. He belongs to Uncle Rick. Also, some OC's do not belong to me, but belong to my friend Cara, aka** _ **Carabootoo**_ **.**

 **A/N** **: I'm gonna do the POV's like how it is with HoO. Which means...TIME TO INTRODUCE THE OC'S, BABY!**

 **First up, my OC. Enjoy~!**

 **/Line|Break\**

 **~Chapter Three~**

 **~Thomas~**

 **/Line|Break\**

Thomas never looked on the bright side of things, nor did he want to. Call him a pessimist, but it was true.

All his life, his father thought he was a burden and a curse. Oliver Floros wanted to get into a good college and follow his dream of being an astronomer. Learning about the planets and stars was his father's passion, and he was so close to achieving his dream. But then, in came Thomas's mom. They fell in love, did the frick-frack, and had him. She left, only a month after Thomas was born, never to be seen again. His father now had to focus on raising a kid, while balancing his studies. It wasn't easy, and his father voiced it loud and clear. He hated Thomas with every fiber of his being, and showed his hatred in many... _creative_ ways.

School was no pleasant escape either. He was the social-outcast of the entire school. The popular (more like _shallow_ and _bitchy_ ) girls of would make fun of his clothes and looks. Every time he passed them, they would make snarky comments and scowl at his mere presence. The homophobic jocks would push him around and beat him up because they could (their words, not his) "see the gay radiating off him". They hadn't tried anything extreme, since the teachers were always watching and the school was pretty harsh with punishments if any student did something extreme. The nerds and geeks would flinch whenever he came around, and tried to avoid him at any cost. His so-called "fellow outcasts" would whisper and didn't try to befriend him. Only the school staff were friendly and not afraid of him. They even tried to help Thomas, but they never could.

There was also his appearance, which Thomas hated with a burning passion. His pale skin was so white that people thought he was an albino or was really sick all the time. He had dark, pitch black hair that was always feathery and messy. The girls at school called him "Thomas the Raven" and stick black feathers in his hair. He was thin and bony, with glinting, void black eyes that always had a dark, empty gaze. His skinny frame made it easy for bullies to fight him since he wasn't strong enough to fight back. His eyes made everyone uncomfortable. His dad's relatives tried to make him feel better by saying he was quite handsome. But, of course, his father quickly brought him down and said he looked like a freak. Everyone at school knew Thomas as that creepy albino kid, and called him a skeleton or a ghost behind his back.

There was only two things that brought him joy in his miserable existence, and that was his pen-pal—Connie Connecticut—and his Aunt Starla.

His art instructor, Ms. Muse, told him about a pen-pal project the school was having. Interested, Thomas decided to sign up. At first, Thomas was having doubts about this pen-pal project. What if he was going to get the worst pen-pal possible? His luck has always been rotten, so he fully expected the most homophobic, most preppy pen-pal possible.

Imagine his shock and surprise when he met Connie Connecticut, the most sweetest and kindest girl Thomas has ever met. Connie was skinny as a stick and had a tiny bust, with round olive-green eyes and pale, rosy lips. She had pale skin that was beach sand-white, with a very light dusting of freckles dotting her cheeks and nose. Her strawberry blonde hair was always put into fuzzy pigtails. Connie lived in Connecticut with her mom, dad, twin brothers, and the cutest, pure black German Shepard Thomas had ever seen. She was his age, so fourteen, and always spoke with a quiet yet charming voice. She loved wearing dresses and had a passion for art. All in all, Connie was truly amazing. He had been pen-pals with her for roughly four months. Thomas went to her whenever he felt lonely or needed someone to vent to. Connie would always listening, and offered her sympathy and advice. If it wasn't for her, he would have done something crazy; like running away or suicide. She was like an anchor; a very cheerful and kind anchor.

And then, there was Aunt Starla. She was an artist and writer who traveled the world for inspiration. Thomas would always get postcards and awesome trinkets from her. When she visited, Aunt Starla would always spend her time with Thomas and getting the latest update on his hard life. Just like the rest of his father's family, Aunt Starla actually cared deeply about Thomas. Aunt Starla tried her best to protect Thomas, even if she traveled a lot. She kept tabs on him, since she didn't trust her brother one bit. It was hard for Thomas to believe that his dad and Aunt Starla were even related, since she was so laid-back and kind and his dad was so high-strung and cruel. Like Connie, Aunt Starla was an anchor. Except, she was more than that. She was like a guardian angel he had always wished for. Aunt Starla was like the mom he always wanted, and wished he had.

Thomas managed to survive, hiding his pain with silence and isolation. He only told Aunt Starla and Connie about his pain, but even then he still pushed them away. There was one thing he could never talk about, however.

 **/~Ω** **~\**

Today was the day of the field trip to the ghost town of Cerise, Michigan *****. It was a few miles away from their sleepy town, but far enough for them to take a day or two to get there. Thomas wasn't looking forward to being stuck with the entire freshmen student body for a three day, two night trip. But hey, it beats having to face his abusive father.

Thomas sat in the way back of the bus with his backpack and duffel bag. He placed his headphones around his neck, knowing that the chaperon would probably talk about something important before they head off. He stared out the window, with his duffel bag at his feet and his backpack on his lap. Everyone else was sitting anywhere but near him, chatting loudly or listening to their iPods.

Some of the Pops (his nickname for the popular kids) were throwing papers at him, snickering and probably spreading rumors about him. Some of the jocks called out to him, asking him where he got the bruise on his neck. Thomas touched that bruise, grimacing at the memory of his father trying to strangle him a week ago. Naturally, Thomas pushed that memory aside and ignored the jocks' comments.

"Alright, muffins!" Coach Wood called out. "This educational field trip to Cerise will teach you what Mother Nature can do to!"

Coach Wood was a scary woman, despite her appearance. She was tall and lean, built like a runner. Her skin was cinnamon brown, with a thick white scar on her left cheek from a hunting accident a month ago (partially Thomas' fault). She had bright, emerald green eyes and curly, ash blonde hair put up in a high ponytail. Coach Wood always wore the same thing: a grass green tank top, dirt brown running Capri pants, bright white tennis shoes, and a large, grey hoodie. A worn, red baseball cap rested on her head, and her trusty silver whistle hung around her neck.

She had been at Summer High for a four years, and was probably one of the youngest teachers. A few kids talked about her going on paid vacations and time offs at random times, but never questioned it. Coach Wood was tough, strict, and acted like a Roman general. The ones who worked hard only heard Coach Wood yell a few times, but the slackers would get the worst of it. She was one of the teachers that tried to help Thomas, but Thomas was wary of her. Every time he ran laps or they played dodge-arrow—it was like dodge-ball, but they used foam arrows as projectiles and not foam balls—she would give him a hard look, as if she was waiting for Thomas to do something unexpected. Of course, Thomas would ultimately _fail_ and end up falling on his face or hurting someone else.

But, all in all, Coach Wood was cool. She let the kids who were having a hard day some time on the bench, and let a kid skip class if they felt they really needed to. Coach had no tolerance for bullies and slackers, and she seemed to be the teacher that always quickly stopped the bullies before they did anything to the students. She organized awesome lesson plans and rarely gave out homework or tests. Almost everyone at Summer High liked her.

"This three-day trip will not only teach you about nature, but how to survive in it too!" Coach Wood glared at the gossiping girls. "Some of you muffins could use some roughing up, because you're as tough as a feather-filled pillow. Remember, do not stray from the path and if you see anything strange, tell me! I don't want to lose any of you. And if you try _something_ on _someone_..." She brought out her silver baseball bat, and gave a dark look. "You know how I _loathe_ and _despise_ bullies more than I _loathe_ and _despise_ nature killers."

Did Thomas also mention that Coach Wood loved nature and also subbed for the science classes sometimes? Yeah, she was a pretty awesome teacher.

"And class," Coach Wood added. "Your electronics are for keeping in touch with your parents and/or guardians. You may use them for listening to music, but no going on social media! I swear, this generation is all about the tweeting on Twitter and the updating on Instagram or Tumblr!"

Some people gasped, probably shocked that Coach Wood got the names right. Thomas rolled his eyes and snorted. He had seen Coach Wood going on her phone, video chatting with a guy that looked like her son. Her son was talking about some TV show, and Coach understood exactly what he was talking about. She wasn't _that_ old. She was like twenty-four or something.

The bus pulled up in front of some old, abandoned warehouses. Everyone started getting up, grabbing their stuff and chatting loudly. Thomas slung his backpack over his shoulder, grabbed his duffel bag, and followed everyone out of the bus. They stood on a few feet away from the bus, standing under an old, wooden arch. Thomas looked around, taking in the view.

The sky was slowly turning from yellowish-orange to a light blue, with the sun rising behind them. All around them, trees towered high like giants. The dark, green grass went up to their ankles, swaying lazily in the wind. A few feet in front of them, four story-tall warehouses were scattered all around. Bright, green moss covered the old buildings, covering them almost completely. A few miles ahead of them, Thomas could vaguely make out a small cluster of buildings. Thomas could see a clock tower, probably in the center of the buildings. A long, winding stone road led towards the cluster.

"Welcome to Cerise, a town abandoned in the 1960's!" Coach Wood boomed, smiling brightly. "As you can see, nature has left its mark on this 'ghost town'. Now! Any questions before we go?"

A platinum blonde girl raised her hand.

"Yes Ms. Snow?" Coach Wood asked, arching her brow.

"Is there supposed to be a smoking hole in one of the warehouses?" Sarah Snow, one of the Pops, asked.

"Ms. Snow! What kind of question is that—Oh."

True to Snow's words, the warehouse nearest to them had a large hole on the rusted metal roof. Whispers rose among the group, causing fear and curiosity to ripple through the class of teens. Coach Wood's eyes harden, and Thomas could've sworn they glowed. Muttering some curses in a strange language, she turned back to the group.

"Alright, muffins! I'll go check it out to make sure it's nothing bad or dangerous. All of you stay close to the bus. And if I don't come back in twenty minutes, hide in the bus and tell the bus driver to drive if he sees anything suspicious!"

With that, Coach Wood marched off with her baseball bat in hand. As soon as she entered the warehouse, everyone scrambled onto the bus. Thomas tried to follow after them, but one of the Pops closed the door in his face.

"Hey!" Thomas exclaimed. "Let me in!"

"It's not like anyone's gonna miss you, Thomas the Raven," Snow remarked.

"Fuck you, bitch," Thomas said.

Snow arched her brow. " _Excuse me?_ "

Thomas flipped her the bird, and looked back at the warehouse. Only a few had passed, but Thomas was starting to feel dread. Something in his gut told him Coach Wood was in trouble. He glanced back at bus, seeing Snow giving a glare.

" _ **It's best to help your teacher**_ ," a voice whispered in his ear. " _ **Than to be stuck with your classmates. They don't like you, and they never will. Why bother?**_ "

Thomas took in a deep breath, and marched towards the warehouse. His classmates didn't call out to him, nor did they told the bus driver to stop him. They watched him in silence.

 **/~Ω** **~\**

Thomas stepped through the doors of the warehouse, looking around warily. The moss covered the windows so when the sunlight passed through, it made the whole place look green. The stone floor had small cracks with weeds and flowers poking through. It was cold and damp, and Thomas scrunched up his nose at the smell. Nature did leave its mark, and it was a nasty mark. He carefully walked through, watching out for the barrels, crates, and rusting bars scattered on the floor. Heading towards the back, Thomas could spot the gaping hole. The sun shined down through the hole, lighting up on a particular spot.

The first thing Thomas saw was a large, bronze dragon with oil dripping from its ear. _That_ was the one surprise he didn't see coming. It was a cool dragon, though. It was about sixty feel long, from snout to tail. Its body was made of interlocking bronze plates, glittering in the sunlight. It had claws the size of butcher knives, with a mouth that was lined with razor-sharp metal teeth. The bronze dragon's ruby eyes glinted faintly, with wide bronze wings that were tucked behind its back. Thomas stared at it in awe, biting his lip as he thought about drawing the beautiful creature.

A few feet away from the dragon, Coach Wood kneeling next to a boy—probably a year or two older than Thomas. The boy looked like a Latino elf with curly black hair, pointy ears, and a babyish face. He was sort of cute, in scrawny elf way. His long, nimble fingers twitched, and Latino elf was muttering under his breath as if he was having a nightmare. A scroll sat at his stomach, with a green ribbon tied around it. Coach Wood was muttered under her breath, looking at the pendant around his neck. It was a flame-shaped fire opal inside a onyx circle, hanging on a glittering bronze chain. The flame glowed softly, like a fire in a hearth. It probably cost a lot of money, yet Coach was looking at it as if it was some death charm or bad omen.

"Demigod," she muttered, then cursed in that strange language again. "Under the protection of Lady Gaea Terra. He's a son of Hephaestus...but his aura... _no_. All the mutts are at camp." She glanced over at the dragon. "Gods, this can't be!"

She snatched the scroll and placed it in the pocket of her hoodie. Thomas slowly approached them, standing a foot or two away from them.

"Uh..." Thomas stuttered. "C-Coach? W-Who's that?"

The blonde woman looked up. "Floros? What in Tartarus are you doing here?!" She scowled. "I told you to stay by the bus, muffin!"

"I-I...um..." Thomas mumbled. Did she just say _Tartarus_? "Look, Coach, I—"

"Dirt Face!" the boy gasped as he sat up, pencil straight.

Coach Wood cursed, flinching away. The Latino gave her an odd look, then turned his head towards Thomas. He quickly got to he feet, holding his hands out in front of him.

"Don't mug me!" he cried.

"Mug you?" Thomas almost laughed. "Sorry man, but I don't think anything in your tool belt would benefit me. But your dragon though..." He trailed off, eyeing the dragon.

Latino elf blinked, turning towards the bronze dragon. "Festus?" he asked.

"Wait...You named your dragon ' _Happy_ '?" Thomas laughed for real. "Why the hell would you name a badass dragon like this _Happy_? Dude, you better be joking."

The Latino frowned. He was about to say something when Coach Green held up her hand. She stood up, and walked over to him.

"Thomas," Coach Wood said. "How did you know that ' _festus_ ' was Latin for ' _happy_ '. You don't take Mr. Knight's Latin class."

Thomas blinked. "Um...lucky guess...?"

"Thomas...that's impossible."

"Coach, I—"

"Maybe you're the recruit I was searching for," she mumbled, rubbing her chin. "It makes sense. Your aura seems...off."

"My what now?"

"We need to get you to camp, right away. I've been sensing monsters for a while. There's one here, on the bus. We gotta get you—"

"Whoa, hold on!" Latino elf made the universal time-out sign. "What's going on? Who are you guys? What monster?"

"For one, muffin," Coach huffed, turning to face the Latino, "I was in the middle of a field trip while finding a recruit until one of my charges saw the hole in the roof of this warehouse. Second, the name's Rosie Wood and that's"—she pointed her thumb at Thomas—"one of my charges and the recruit, Thomas Floros. Third, there's a monster that wants to get Floros. Now, what are _you_ doing on our territory, demigod? Lord Hades Pluto assured me the last of the mutts are in camps, and Lady Artemis Diana said that no demigod could come here unless they had a DW or a god at their side."

Thomas stared at Coach Wood as if she grew a second head, while Latino elf gaped at her.

"How...how did you—?"

"Please," Coach snorted. "Muffin, I can _sense_ your demigod aura. I'm no mortal, son of Hephaestus. Now, who are you and how did you get here?"

"Leo Valdez," Latino elf said. "I got here on my dragon, Festus. I've been running from Shadow People—or SP's as I like to call them—for days now. Queen Dirt Face herself, Gaea, said that this scroll could help me. Though...I rather have another god's help than _her_."

"How dare you insult a primordial!" Coach Wood's eyes glinted with a dangerous light. "I don't know what you demigods learned about her, but we know that Lady Gaea Terra is one of the most important deity. She is kind and caring. Lady Gaea Terra deserve respect, not insults!"

"It's not my fault she killed my mom and started a war!" Valdez growled, throwing his arms in the air. "And lady, Dirt Face is not _that_ kind and caring. She's manipulative, cruel, and a fricking insane."

"Apparently, _you_ need to learn your facts right," Coach scoffed.

"Apparent, _you_ haven't heard of the Giant War," Valdez shot back.

"Hey!" Thomas shouted, coming in between them. "What the fuck is going on? What's a demigod? Who's 'Gaea'? What's Mist? There was a _war_? What the bloody hell!"

Coach Wood sighed. "Floros...there's something that you should know. I—"

" _FOOLS!_ "

The whole building shuddered, causing a few of the catwalks hanging on the ceiling to rattle and loosen. The front doors violently slammed shut, and parts of the catwalk fell down in front of it. Thomas looked up at the hole, and saw the sky had turned dark and grey. A cold, bitter wind found its way inside. The wind pierced Thomas' exposed skin like tiny ice daggers, causing him to shiver. Outside, the wind howled and Thomas could faintly hear yelling and screams. Coach Wood held up her bat, glaring up at three figures that appeared on the catwalks above their heads.

"Σας κατάρα ηλίθιοι σκιές!" Coach yelled. "Who sent you?" [ _Translation: Curse you stupid shadows!_ ]

" _Our mistress..._ " a male voice hissed.

" _That demigod there must be taken to the Dark One at once!_ " two female voice cried. " _You can run, Leo Valdez, but you cannot hide!_ "

"Aw come on!" Valdez snapped, pulling out a large hammer from his toolbelt. "Can't I catch a break for once? Answer: nope!"

Thomas backed into the shadows, watching as three misty figures floated down above Valdez and Coach Wood's heads. The misty figures had ash grey skin, and wispy hair black as coal. Their eyes were solid bronze, and they bared their pure white, vampire teeth. Two of the figures were female, and had long nails that looked more like talons. They circled around Valdez, their wispy blue dresses flowing like a fog rolling in.

" _Stop trying to fight it, Leo Valdez_ ," the two females said in bone-chilling unison. " _Do you not want a place to belong? Didn't you consider saying yes?_ "

"Yeah right," Valdez snorted. "In your dreams, SP!"

"Valdez!" Coach Wood hissed. "Less talking, more hitting!"

Coach raised her bat, and swung it at the first female figure. It nailed her right in the forehead, and sent her flying into a crate full of rotten apples. The second female figure let out a growl, and lunged at Coach. Valdez smashed her head with his hammer, braining her from behind. Both of the females let out a high-pitched screech, and evaporated into thin air. The third figure let out a snarl, and grabbed Coach Wood by her arms. She cursed, flailing around in a vain attempt to escape its grasp. Thomas quickly placed his stuff on the ground, and ran over to them. He picked up the bat, and threw it at the figure's head. It harmlessly passed through its head, but it did cause it to pause.

" _Who threw that?!_ " it hissed in a raspy, masculine voice.

"Hey fucker!" Thomas exclaimed. "Down here, bitch!"

The figure turned its head, promptly dropping Coach. She let out a yelp as she landed on top of Festus, starling the dragon and causing it to stir. The figure floated over to Thomas, its bronze eyes glowing darkly. Thomas gulped, and put on a brave face.

" _Do you not know who I am, mortal?_ " it asked. " _I am Scelus Sceleris!_ "

"Latin for crime, sin, evil dead, wickedness," Thomas said, arching a brow. "So what?"

" _So?_ _ **SO**_ _? I AM SOMETHING YOU SHOULD FEAR! I AM IN THE SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT, THE ONE WHO STIRS YOUR WORST NIGHTMARES! THE BRAVEST OF HEROES SHUDDER AT THE MERE MENTION OF MY NAME! THE EVILEST OF VILLAINS ARE ENVIOUS OF MY WAYS. I KNOW ALL YOUR FEARS, ALL YOUR DOUBTS, AND ALL THE PAIN YOU CARRY. I WAS ONCE A MORTAL THIEF, KILLING MY VICTIMS BY SLITTING THEIR NECK AND DRINKING THEIR BLOOD! I_ —"

"Blah, blah, blah. We get it; you're the evilest shit in the whole entire world. Pfft, get in line!" Thomas snorted, turning to Valdez. "Are they usually such a windbag, or is this new? The only kind of villains I know about are from books and TV shows."

Valdez grinned, tapping his chin sarcastically. "Yeah, they are. You should hear them go on and on about their ' _queen and mistress_ ' that ' _shall lead us to a new era of darkness and justice_ '." He snorted. "And I thought Dirt Face was _that_ long-winded. But nooooo! They're all about bragging about how _amazing_ and _brilliant_ they are."

"Maybe it's a bad guy thing," Thomas shrugged.

"Probably..."

Scelus Sceleris's eye twitched, and bared his fangs. " _How dare_ —"

"Oh no," Thomas said, feigning fear. "He's about to talk about how we're all doomed. Quick! I think I'm about to faint."

"I'm so scared," Valdez said, faking a flinch. "He's about to bore us to death with his bad guy monologue!"

"Spare the children!" A small smirk slowly made its way to Thomas' face.

"Take cover!" The corners of Valdez's mouth tilted upward.

"It's every man for himself!" A snort.

"We're all going to die!" A chuckle.

It was hard for Thomas to hold back his laughter. But, he and Valdez were on the verge of tears as they continued to fake their fear. Valdez was grinning broadly, his eyes twinkling and his arm wrapped around Thomas' shoulders. Thomas was leaning on him, trying his best to catch his breath. Scelus Sceleris was growling like a wolf, gritting his teeth and scowling deeply. From behind, Coach Wood had gotten up and was slowly approaching the shadow. Her bat was held up high, and a murderous/amused expression on her face. She was five feet away from the shadow...four feet...

" _SILENCE YOU FOOLS!_ " Scelus Sceleris thundered. " _YOU SHOULD FEAR ME! I AM YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE! I AM NOT A JOKE!_ "

Three feet...

"I think I rather fight those Shadow Women," Valdez remarked, snidely.

"Yeah," Thomas shrugged. "They would've gotten the job done faster than _you_."

Two feet...

" _WHY I_ —"

"LIGHTS OUT, MUFFIN!" Coach Wood yelled.

Coach swung her bat, and smacked Scelus Sceleris behind the head. He stumbled, falling onto his back. She pressed her foot on his chest, and raised the bat over her head. The bat shimmered, and turned into a silver _pilum_ ; a Roman spear. A look of horror replaced the furious expression on Scelus Sceleris's face as he stared up at the spear. Both boys shut up instantly, their laughter long gone. Thomas stared at his gym teacher in shock, and Valdez's jaw dropped.

" _Who are you?_ " the shadow asked, fearfully.

Coach smirked. "I am Rosie Wood, daughter of Terra—primordial Roman goddess of the earth—and Richard Wood—a Dimension Walker. And _you_ , Scelus Sceleris, are about to meet your maker."

...

 ***(1): Purely a fictional town. I don't know much about Michigan (since I'm from the West Coast), but I'm pretty sure there's no town called Cerise.**

 **Hey guys! I hope you liked this chapter! :D**

 **FYI: Rosie Wood was inspired from Gleeson Hedge. You'll learn more about her later on.**

 **This chapter was suprisingly easier to write, considering it's from my OC's POV. But seriously, LEO'S POV IS KINDA HARD FOR ME TO WRITE IN. I'M RE-READING HOO SO I CAN WRITE IN LEO'S POV BETTER.**

 **But anyways, I'm going to focus more on this story and my other story, "People Like Us". I want OMO (On My Own) to kinda catch up with my main story "TDW: The Pearl of Chaos" since it is a side-story for it. I also want to work more on PLS (People Like Us), since it's a prequel story for "TDW: The Pearl of Chaos". So, expect more updates for this story!**

 **Don't forget to leave a review and I'll see you next time!**

 **~Ari**


	4. Chapter 4: Thomas

_**On My Own**_

 **A "The Dimension Walker" Short Story**

 **Summary** : _**Leo was convinced the Fates hated him. He and Calypso were supposed to return to Camp Half-Blood. He was supposed to be reunited with his friends. Things were supposed to be semi-normal again. But no, that wasn't the case. Calypso turned out to be a backstabbing liar. Ogygia was a dimension where time literally stopped. Camp Half-Blood had changed. And, the most important of all, his friends were gone.**_

 **Disclaimer** : **I do not own Leo Valdez. He belongs to Uncle Rick. Also, some OC's do not belong to me, but belong to my friend Cara, aka** _ **Carabootoo**_ **.**

 **/Line|Break\**

 **~Chapter Four~**

 **~Thomas~**

 **/Line|Break\**

Thomas was fine. He was calm. He wasn't going to freak out, nor was he going to scream out loud. Oh, who was he kidding? He lost it. What the hell was going on? Gods weren't real, nor were demigods. They were just myths, made-up characters used to explain things like lightning and death. There was no way they could actually be real. This had got to be a prank. One of the Pops must've had borrowed money from their rich daddies and set up this elaborate prank to mess with Thomas. But then again, the Pops spent most of their time gossiping and making sure they were still the queens and kings of the school. They wouldn't know the first thing about Greek/Roman mythology. But still, there was no way this could be actually happening to him. This was like something out of his fantasy books, something that he and Connie could only dream about. This was reality, not fiction. If it was fiction, Thomas wouldn't be stuck with a horrible father. He would've gotten his letter to Hogwarts or made it to Camp Half-Blood or—

 _Wait a fucking minute..._

It wasn't a coincidence that Valdez matched the description and he had the same dragon from TLH cover. No amount of makeup could make someone look _exactly_ like someone Thomas had seen in fanarts and official art (but honestly, the official art wasn't very good). It was just... _impossible_.

Coach Wood jabbed her _pilum_ downward, piercing the shadow's chest. Scelus Sceleris let out a howl, and evaporated into thin air. The blonde woman gave a toothy grin, twirling her spear like a pro. Valdez stared at her in shock. He opened his mouth to say something, but Thomas beat him to it.

"This can't be real!" he cried. "No, no fucking way. This is _impossible_. Gods aren't real. Monsters aren't real. _Demigods_ aren't real."

"They are, Floros," Coach Wood said. "The gods are very much alive."

"Nonononononononononononononononononononononono," Thomas chanted over and over again. "This is not real. This is not real. _This is impossible_."

"Uh...hate to break it to you," Valdez said. "But I'm living proof of the gods being real. My dad's Hephaestus, ya know."

"I'm dreaming," Thomas muttered, closing his eyes. "I'm still on the bus, asleep. We're still driving to Cerise."

"Floros..." Coach tried to say.

"This is all a dream...and when I open my eyes, I'm still on my seat on the bus."

"Thomas..." Coach said again, gentler.

Thomas opened his eyes, and glared up at the sky. "Why the hell is this happening me?! What have I ever done to deserve this?! My father's an abusive asshole! All the kids at school are either scared of me or hate me! _I NEVER GOT TO MEET MY MOM, WHO WOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER PARENT THAN MY FATHER!_ " Tears started to blur his vision. "Απάντησέ μου, ρε γαμώ!" [ _Translation: Answer me, goddammit!_ ]

A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and a loud crack of thunder boomed. Thomas clenched his jaw, and looked at Coach Wood.

"Can you sense my aura?" he asked, numbly.

She nodded. "I got it from my father, Richard Wood. I can see into your aura, and find out what you are. The stronger your aura, the easier it is for me to find out."

"What am I?" Thomas asked. " _Who_ am I?"

A shadow crossed her face. "You're Thomas Floros, and you are the son of a Protogenos, a primordial."

Thomas let it sink in. "Okay...which one?"

"I don't know," Coach sighed. "But, I _do_ know is that it's a goddess, since you live with your father. And I've seen your father, and he reeks of mortality."

"Can you, like, narrow it down?"

She shook her head. "You'll be claimed once we get to camp."

"Camp Half-Blood?" Valdez asked, hopefully.

"Nope. A different camp."

"Camp Jupiter?" Thomas asked.

"No."

"Then where?" Thomas and Valdez whined in unison.

"Camp Walker in Ocean View, Oregon."

Valdez's shoulders slumped. "Listen, that sounds cool and all...but I really gotta get to CHB to see my friends. So—"

Coach Wood grabbed Valdez by his collar. "Oh no you don't, muffin. You are going to Camp Walker to figure some things out. So, put your dragon in suitcase mode—don't give me that look, I know there _is_ a suitcase mode on that thing. Floros get your bags, and you two follow me."

 **/~Ω~\**

The bus had drove off, probably because Thomas' classmates saw something. Thomas prayed that it scarred them for life.

They hiked through the woods, with Coach Wood leading them. Valdez dragged the dragon suitcase—and by "dragon suitcase", Thomas meant the dragon that turned into a suitcase—with ease, which was impressive considering it must've been real heavy. Thomas was texting Connie. Connie had sent him a couple of pictures. The first few were of her in the car, joking around with her brothers and reading a book. The rest were of her arriving standing in front of a fancy cabin, hanging out with friends, and at this fancy open-air pavilion. He smiled faintly. Every year after school year ended, Connie would go to this summer camp for "gifted and talented" kids. Connie said the place was absolutely amazing and she made a lot of friends there. Thomas sometimes wished he could go to that camp with her, but Connie never told him where the camp was or what was its name. She would always refer to this camp as "CW" or just camp. Though, he knew his father would never let him leave.

After sending a few texts, Thomas quickly stuffed his phone in his pockets. Valdez was looking over his shoulder, grinning broadly. Thomas could feel his cheeks heating up, and he coughed awkwardly. Valdez chuckled, waggling his eyebrows.

"Girlfriend?" he asked.

"What? _No_ ," Thomas muttered. "Pen-pal. I don't swing that way."

"Really?" Valdez arched a brow. "I mean, with that bad boy, goth/emo look you got going on, I thoght you'd have a lot of fine girls chasing after you."

Thomas glared daggers at him. "Shut up, Valdez. Unless you want a steel-toed leather boot up your ass."

He snorted. "Wow, aren't you a ray of sunshine."

"I hate sunshine," Thomas deadpanned.

"Of course," Valdez rolled his eyes. "I think you and my friend's brother would get along nicely."

"You're annoying."

"Thank you, I try my very best."

"Do you take every insult as a compliment?"

"Kinda, maybe."

"You're insufferable."

"I'm a pro at being insufferable."

Thomas groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You stupid, annoying, insufferable, cute, idiotic, immature, funny, dumb, endearing, jerky ass—"

"Waitwaitwait," Valdez smirked. "Some of those words aren't insults. Did you call me _cute_ and _funny_? And did you say I was _endearing_?"

His ears turned red. " _NO!_ "

"Oh, I get it. You _like_ me."

"No I don't!"

"You're denying it; you must _really_ like me."

Thomas smacked him upside the head, and caught up with Coach. Coach Wood glanced over, smiling softly. Thomas grumbled, scowling deeply. He glared at the ground below him, kicking at the twigs and leaves scattered around him. There were more important things to deal with at the moment. Valdez was so immature. Thomas was just simply listing off the things that could describe him, nothing more and nothing less. There was nothing implying that he liked him, nothing at all. Valdez was just reading into things too much.

"So..." Thomas said, glancing up at the blonde woman. "How are we going to get to Oregon?"

"You'll see," Coach smiled.

"Oh no...you're doing the mysterious tone."

"Calm down, Floros! You're a tough muffin, remember? It's not like we're going to fight off dragons or battling with some gods!"

"E-Excuse me?" Thomas' eyes went wide, like a deer caught in the headlights.

The blonde woman stopped, and pointed ahead of her. "There it is!"

Nestled deep in the forest was an train station, with vintage steam engines rolling in and conductors wearing old-fashioned uniforms. It was like the train station from Harry Potter, except more modernized. Waiting on the platforms were a small number of people; the youngest being six or seven and the eldest being sixteen or seventeen. Little kids ran around, laughing and smiling brightly. Teens chatting to one another or were on their phones. A few adults were saying their goodbyes to the kids, smiling sadly. Rosie jutted her chin towards the ticket booth, and the group snuck behind it.

"Uh...what exactly are we doing?" Thomas asked.

"What does it look like?" Valdez asked, tapping his finger on the handle of the suitcase. "We're sneaking into a ticket booth."

Thomas smacked Valdez's forehead. "Idiot! That's not what I meant."

"Um, _ow_!" Valdez hissed.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "You'll live, Valdez."

"It still hurts, Tommy."

" _Don't_ call me Tommy, Valdez."

"Whatever, Tommy."

"Why I oughta..."

" _Boys!_ " Coach hissed. "Getting to camp first, arguing _later_. The reason why were _behind_ the ticket booth is because there's a portal here."

"Portal?" Thomas asked.

Coach nodded. She placed her hand over the backdoor, and the ground underneath her glowed. A wooden trapdoor appeared underneath Coach Wood's feet. They backed up as the trapdoor swung open. Coach smirked, and quickly jumped down the hole. Thomas looked at Valdez, who shrugged. Both boys carefully went down the hole, almost tripping over each other during the process.

"This suitcase is fucking heavy!" Thomas snapped.

"That's because it's my dragon!" Valdez snapped back.

"Isn't there a mode to make him smaller so that he could just rest on your shoulder?"

He blinked. "Huh...I should add that..."

Thomas groaned, rolling his eyes. He looked around, his jaw instantly dropping.

The dirt walls had large roots and rocks sticking out, along with doors and swirling portals on the walls. Each door had a different design to them. One door was a Japanese sliding paper door, while another was made of limestone and had Egyptian hieroglyphics carved into it. All of the portals were a different color, but each of them had a swirl of black in the middle. Teens and adults went in and out through the portals and doors, choosing which one to go through with ease. Every single one of them were carrying weapons, ranging from old-fashioned swords and spears to futuristic guns and crossbows. They barely noticed as they walked passed the group. The hard, stone ground was covered with strange items, like socks, scrolls, old toys, and books.

"What...is this place?" Thomas asked.

"The Caverns," Coach said. "Those doors and portals? Those are what we call 'Rabbit Holes'. They are doorways to different worlds, different dimensions."

"Wait, 'we'?" Valdez asked.

The blonde woman nodded. "When I mean 'we', I mean Dimension Walkers."

"Dimension Walkers?" Thomas bit his lip. "That's what you said your father was, right?"

Coach nodded. "Dimension Walkers are a race of people with special powers and the ability to travel through dimensions. My father is an Earth Elemental, a power class. I'm known as a 'mutt', which is a Dimension Walker that is also a child of a god/goddess. Though, some Dimension Walkers are children of gods. But, that's a lesson for when you get to camp."

"Back up," Valdez said, stopping in his tracks. "Dimension Walkers sounds like something outta sci-fi movies. If you think Tommy's a DW, why are you bringing _me_ to this 'camp'?"

"You're a mutt, Valdez," Coach simply said.

"No," Valdez said. "Last I checked, I'm a full blown demigod. No freaky DW powers in me at all."

"Yes, you are, muffin. I can sense it. It seems you're one of the rarities, the DW's that come from families with no ancestry of Dimension Walkers in their bloodline." Coach tilted her head. "Just...we just don't now _what_ you are. You could be one of the new power classes, or one of the rare, ancient ones."

Valdez looked down at his hands, as if waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, faint flickering flames danced across his palms. Thomas' jaw dropped as he watched him, while Coach eyed him warily.

"Let's keep moving," she muttered. "Things will make more sense once we get to camp."

They continued walking down the tunnels, taking a few twists and turns. Everything looked the same that Thomas thought they were going in circles. The only thing that changed were the doors and portals, but the rest were the same. Thomas was just about ready to turn back and run off. God knows how long they've been in these tunnels for. It could've been days, weeks, or even months. Everything seemed to go on forever.

Then, they stopped in front of a door. It wasn't much; just a mahogany door with a bronze doorknob. Behind the door, however, Thomas could see a faint, golden light. Coach quickly turned the knob and opened the door. A valley was on the other side of the door. They stepped through the door, and Thomas got a good look of the place.

They stood upon a tall hill that overlooked the valley. A large pine tree stood in the middle of the hill, with something silver glittering in the tree branches. The valley was large, probably larger than five or six football fields. Towards the west, there was a large beach with a long dock. The sea was shimmering blue; the waves lazily crashing onto the shore. From the beach, there was a small river with crystal blue waters, leading towards a small lake towards the forest. Nestled near the trees, a few kilometers away from the hill, there was a four-story, Victorian-styled house with a wrap-around porch. The house was white with black trimmings, reminding Thomas of a farmhouse from the country. A silver weather vane in the shape of a fairy on the roof, and a large maple-tree shaded the house. There were some Grecian columns on the front porch, which was odd. Maybe the builder was going for some Greek influences on the house, or maybe he forgot that the house was supposed to be Victorian. Thomas didn't know. Across from the house, maybe close to the forest, was a cluster of cabins—maybe over twenty of them—arranged in a rectangle. A few feet away from the cluster, a bit closer to the house, were thirteen cabins. They were arranged in a crescent around a central green area with a large hearth in the middle.

There were a lot of campers, maybe a little over eighty in total. Some were kids, while others were teens. All of them were pretty diverse, and wore different clothing. There were other...creatures at camp too. Some were fairies, others were these elf-like people, and the rest were nymphs. Thomas understood why the camp was so large.

"Damn..." Thomas gasped.

"A beauty, ain't it?" Coach Wood chuckled.

They walked down the hill, heading towards the Victorian house. Campers stopped in their tracks, staring at the group with large eyes. Everyone started whispering and pointing at Valdez, their eyes full of confusion and nervousness. A few kids started running off towards the cabins, bring out more and more kids. Once they got to the house, almost the whole camp was staring at them. Coach Wood stepped onto the porch, where two adults were arguing.

The first adult was a man, probably in his thirties. He was tall and muscular, with tanned, olive skin. His hair was bluish-black, shaggy but neat. He had dark blue eyes that seemed to be full of wisdom and power. The man wore a navy-blue shirt underneath a black dress jacket, dark grey slacks, and black loafers. On his head was a dark grey fedora with a dark blue strip of cloth. He reminded Thomas of a ruthless mafia boss, with a heavy Italian accent and motioning his hands angrily.

The second adult was a woman in her late twenties, early thirties. She was tall, slim, and curvy; like a graceful supermodel. Her hip-length, curly hair was black as a raven's feathers, with dark violet highlights streaked throughout her hair. The woman's eyes were constantly changing, like a rainbow kaleidoscope. As she argued with the Italian man, her eyes kept switching from sparkling amethyst to stormy grey to fiery amber. Her skin was fairly peachy, with freckles dotting her cheeks. But, the freckles looked as if they were slowly fading away. Thomas didn't know if the freckles were really faint or if the freckles were really fading. The woman wore a dark purple blouse, dark red heels, and a lacy, black skirt. A silver bejeweled circlet was wrapped around her head like a princess tiara. She was quite beautiful, and she spoke with a light French accent.

"The same day we send off campers on a quest," the French woman said, "one of our own goes missing! We must get back to _Paradiso Caelesti_ immediatly, brother."

"Absolutely not," the Italian man said. "Sapphira said it herself, the prophecy has started. We must stay with our campers. We must be prepared."

"Our family _needs_ us. _S'il vous plaît, mon frère, je vous en supplie_." [ _Translation: Please, brother, I am begging you._ ]

The Italian grumbled. "Fine, sister. But... _Se la mia figlia torna da questa ricerca fatto del male e non posso essere al suo fianco, io ti biasimo._." [ _Translation: If my daughter comes back from this quest harmed and I cannot be by her side, I will blame you._ ]

"Ahem," Coach cleared her throat. "My lord, my lady...I have brought back two recruits."

They turned around and their eyes landed instantly on Valdez. The man glared daggers at him, while the woman arched her brow. Then, they turned to Coach Wood.

"You and Maria are in charged of the camp while we return to _Paradiso Caelesti_ ," the man said quickly. "Get Thomas Floros and Leo Valdez all aquainted and whatnot."

"We shall be back as quick as we can," the woman promised, sweetly.

Coach bowed her head. "As you wish, my lord and lady."

They nodded their heads, and quickly walked into the house. Coach turned around and narrowed her eyes at the gathering crowd of campers. Thomas gulped as the blonde pulled out her whistle and blew it. The campers quickly covered their ears, wincing and flinching. Coach just smirked, and pointed her baseball bat at everyone.

"Alright muffins! Lord Overseer and Lady Deamata must return to _Paradiso Caelesti_ for a small crisis. Me and Maria are going to be in charge for the time being, and camp shall continue as normal. Also, meet the new fresh meat: Thomas Floros and Leo Valdez! All you give them a good Camp Walker welcome and remember our camp motto?"

"We are family in anything but blood," the campers shouted in enthusiasm.

Coach smiled broadly. "Now that's the spirit! Man...did I miss camp? Now, someone's gotta be their guide. I need to work on something in the office!"

Coach marched inside the house, and slammed the door shut. Thomas turned back to the campers, who were staring at him and Valdez. Thomas gulped, rubbing his arm. He hated having to speak in front of a lot of people. He was barely a people person, nor was he a friendly one. Luckily, Valdez saved him.

"So!" Valdez smiled. "I hear this is the party camp!"

No one laughed. They stared up at him, not moving or speaking. Valdez rubbed the back of his neck.

"Wow...tough crowd..." he laughed, awkwardly.

"Maybe you should try not to make a joke," Thomas remarked, rolling his eyes. "Not every one likes corny jokes, Valdez."

"Corny jokes are my forte, Tommy," Valdez pouted.

"Don't call me, Tommy!" Thomas snapped. "Or Tom! The only person who can call me 'Tom' is Connie—"

"Tom?" a soft voice called.

A strawberry blonde girl pushed her way through the crowd, and stumbled in front of Thomas. Her olive-green eyes were wide with excitement and surprise and a small smile spread across her pale, rosy lips. She wore a dark red dress with a golden sash wrapped around her waist. Her fuzzy pigtails were tied with large, white bows. Thomas' jaw dropped as she rushed forward and tackle-hugged him.

"Connie?" Thomas asked.

"Hey Tom," she laughed. "Welcome to Camp Walker, newbie."

...

 **Heya guys! I hope you like this chappie! This chapter kinda felt a little "eh" and rushed. Is it rushed? I don't know, maybe it's just me...**

 **But anyways, thank you for the lovely reviews! This story has like 12 reviews and it only has a few chapters. Please don't stop reviewing! I love seeing your thoughts and compliments.**

 **Next chapter will be Connie's POV and will introduce more of my OC's and some of Cara's OC's.**

 **See ya next time!**

 **~Ari**


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